I am not the biggest fan of warm oatmeal. I never seem to get the consistency right making it either too runny or too dry. Though I don’t like traditional oatmeal, I do love using old fashioned and quick oats when I bake. Over the years I have found that my container of oats sometimes sits in the kitchen cabinet untouched for months. Cue Overnight Oats! This is a great breakfast option that uses oats as one of the star ingredients. Not only do I get to use an item in my kitchen that would normally sit on the shelf (sometimes past its prime), but I also have a nutritious breakfast that I can grab and go when I am in a bit of a rush.

Overnight oats are simple to make. The recipe only requires a few base ingredients and then you can get creative with add-ins that you have on hand. I like to start with the base recipe of oats, vanilla or plain yogurt, and milk, which allows me the freedom to create a lot of fun varieties! I love this breakfast option because I can mix my ingredients together in just a few minutes right before I go to bed and wake up to a delicious breakfast that didn’t take much effort.

Depending on the season, I will add different ingredients for an extra layer of comfort in the morning. A few of my favorite combinations are below!

• Spring & Summer oats: add shredded coconut and crushed or frozen pineapple to create a light, tropical combination.
• Fall oats: use canned pumpkin or apples with cinnamon- I like to shred my apple before adding to the jar. Peeling/dicing an apple would work well too!
• Winter oats: add a variety of spices like nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves mixed with dried cranberries to bring added warmth to Iowa winters.

What flavor combination speaks to you? Cheers to adding Overnight Oats to your next meal plan!